Paecilaema luquillense
Paecilaema luquillense H Soares 1990 is a species of the Neotropical Cosmetidae: Cosmetinae in the genus Paecilaema. Taxonomy/Synonymy *''Paecilaema luquillense'' H. Soares, 1990: 693, Figs 1-6 (type MNSNC, ♀ holotype). Etymology The specific name is an adjective after the type locality. (Soares 1990, p.695) Placement Originally included in Paecilaema where it has remained since description. Specimens (including type data) P.l. Holotype female: in MNSNC Type locality: PUERTO RICO. 8.4 mi SW Luquillo N, xx°xx′ W. Diagnosis Soares (p.693) writes: "Paecilaema luquillense, sp. n. (Fig.14) Female holotype. Body length (from the anterior margin of the cephalothorax to the posterior margin of the area V) 4,50mm, (from the anterior margin of the cephalothorax to the posterior margin of the anal operculum) 5,85mm. Cephalothorax: length 2,15mm, width 3,25. Abdomen: width 4,50mm. Dorsal face. Anterior margin of the cephalothorax smooth, with a stout spine on each side near the angle and a tooth between the chelicerae. Eye tubercle closer to the anterior margin than to groove I,transverse-oval, smooth,low in the median portion, with a round ocular elevation on each side. Areas I with a pair of thick and low tubercles, III with a pair of very high parallel spines. Dorsal scute with few obsolete piliferous granules. Free tergites and anal operculum unarmed and smooth. Ventral face. Free sternites with a row of minute piliferous granules. Coxae with minute piliferous granules, coxae I with a median row of larger granules; coxae II united to the III by small tubercles at the apex, III united to the IV by a row of larger tubercles. Spiracle areas with minute granules densely distributed. Genital operculum round, with minute granules irregularly scattered. Chelicerae normal, segment I with basal and lateral externa1 tubercles: segment II with long hairs on the bases of the fingers (fig.4). Palpi. See fig.5. Legs I-III slender, femora I-III straigth sic, all segments with longitudinal rows of short hairs. Legs IV: coxae with 2-3 thick dorso-lateral tubercles at the base, with irregularly scattered piliferous granules, and a thick, short, transverse, blunt apical spine; trochanteres sic as long as wide, with lateral and ventral hairs; femora straigth sic, slender, long, with longitudinal rows of minute granules, the lateral granules piliferous, the dorsal and ventral ones without hairs and shining; patellae, tibiae and metatarsi with longitudinal rows of hairs." Then, continuing on p.695, continues: "Tarsal segments: 7(3) - 17/18(3) -8-10. Chelicera: segment I, 1,00; segment II, 1,50 (fingers not included). Color. Blackish brown. Dorsal scute with small yellow rounded spots (fig.1). Chelicerae yellow-olivaceus,with black reticulum. Palpi lemon-yellow; with black flecks, those of the tibiae smallest. Legs I yellow, with dark flecks; II-IV blackish- brown, the trochanteres sic and femora lemon-yellow at their bases. Tarsi I-IV yellow, with black flecks. Ventral face blackish-brown. Holotype ♀, in the collection of the Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, State of North Carolina, U.S.A. Type-locality: PUERTO RICO, 8.4miles in SW of Luquillo, tr. Mina Flls. Luquillo Div. Carib. Nat. For. off hwy 191. Rowland M. Shelley 1979. Diagnose. P. luquillense, n. sp., has a peculiar color and so it does not resemble any other species of Paecilaema. It is more related to P. chiriquensis Goodnight & Goodnight, 1943:2, fig. 4 (Panama, Chiriqui, El Volcán), from which it is easily distinguished by the higher spines of the area III of the dorsal scute. Etymology. The specific name is an adjective after the type locality." Notes * Location: Puerto Rico. Several high quality photographs of live animals identified as Paecilaema luquillense are available at following Flickr link by Jose D. Alicea. https://www.flickr.com/photos/biodiversidadpr/sets/72157662380109049/ References Category:Species Category:Neotropical Category:Caribbean Fauna